Choir concert presented in McAllister

Music Professor Cynthia Sanchez will be directing a choir concert called “Feathers and Songs” at 1 p.m. March 8 in the auditorium of the McAllister Fine Arts Center.

There will be two choirs: the Concert Choir is the larger group and the Chamber Singers consists of voice majors.

Sanchez said students must audition and be invited to sing with the smaller, select group accompanied by music Professor Mary Lou Russell.

“My job as an accompanist is to make the choir sound better,” Russell said. “It depends on the piece of music, how it is arranged.

Generally, I provide the harmonies and rhythm foundation. Sometimes, I simply enhance the performance in the choral parts, but sometimes the choir only sings the melody, and the accompaniment provides the rest.”

Sanchez said the choir concert program consists of songs about birds and will feature a flutist and violinist on two pieces of the jazzy music. The choir program includes songs such as The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and “Turtle Dove” by Linda Spevacek.

“Music majors benefit greatly by being in our choirs,” Sanchez said.

“They learn choral repertoire, performance practice in a variety of genres, vocal technique, sight reading, intonation and rhythmic accuracy, and rehearsal technique of an ensemble,” she continued. “Choir is the best part of our day. We work hard and have a blast.”

She said there will be an end of semester concert for music students at 7:30 p.m. April 22 in the auditorium of McAllister.